Eternal Elegance: What’s Behind the Cartier Tank Watch Iconography

 

The powerful, the famous, and the stylish have worn the Cartier Tank for over a century. Here’s why.

 

It’s hard to pinpoint when exactly we noticed the Cartier Tank in the public consciousness. Its striking simplicity doesn’t scream for attention, and yet, there it is, on Princess Diana’s wrist. The Crown has revived her image on social media platforms across the board and you can find the iconic Roman numerals standing out on a square-cut wristwatch, beaming below her reluctant smile. It’s the only accessory repeated often by fashion icon Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; her Cartier Tank is unmissable in vintage black and white photographs. Clark Gable himself had such a unique one—the numerals on his dial were Arabic, not Roman. 

If Gable’s watch ever makes it to an auction house, the estimate figure will most likely reach in the tens of millions. After all, as we go to publish, at Christie’s, there’s a rare and unusual 18-carat-gold asymmetrical Cartier wristwatch with the “Crash” deploying clasp that experts predict will go for HK$1.6 million. Only 400 of them exist in the world. 

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

VistaJet is Acquiring, Merging, and Overhauling Its Entire 360-Strong Jet Fleet With a Massive Interior Makeover

 

It’s the elegant refit that’s reaching for the stars.

There’s a certain beige and taupe uniformity to private jet travel that can be rather humbug after you’ve notched up a few hundred thousand miles in rarefied air. Crisp white linens, gold accents, high-tech gadgetry, and obsequious uniformed staff—you’ve seen one-private jet, you’ve seen them all.

Ladies and gentlemen, VistaJet has entered the chat. 

Read the entire chat here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

7 Designer Jewellery Collections for Men, From Louis Vuitton to David Yurman

 

Image courtesy of Cartier

A look into the latest glittering accessories this season.

Robb Report Hong Kong has long established that jewellery for men and dazzling accessories of all shapes and sizes are here to stay. What once was an aberration to the norm, or a one-off capsule collection that was a smaller part of a greater picture, is now a given; nearly every designer brand has a gender-neutral and/or men’s collection as part of its portfolio.

Just three months into 2024 and we’ve been inundated with field notes on Louis Vuitton’s men’s jewellery line, David Yurman’s first high-jewellery collection for men, the rise of bespoke men’s jewellery by new designers, and Sotheby’s jewellery auction dedicated entirely to men. Earlier this year, Research and Markets predicted that the global jewellery market is expected to surpass sales of US$200 billion (HK$1.56 trillion) by 2027. From that massive pie, the men’s category represents a small slice—less than 10 per cent—of that worldwide market. However, the pie is growing exponentially as the beat of “gender is a social construct” resonates among the newer generation, and men of note and distinguished heritage are seen wearing sizeable rings, brooches, necklaces, and a diamond stud or two.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

Prada Partners With Axiom Space to Create Spacesuits For a NASA Mission

 

After making impeccable wardrobes on Earth, Prada rockets to the final frontier.

Last year, so many designer partnerships were formed in the fashion sphere that it became an easy listicle: Balmain x Barbie, Disney x Givenchy, “Fenace” (Fendi x Versace), Adidas x Gucci, Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1, among others.

Over the years, we’ve seen collaborations of the high-low, the street and the chic—it’s a proverbial potpourri to create a memorable mixology, but this one is simply out of this world. Prada has partnered with a commercial space company, Axiom Space, to create lunar spacesuits for NASA’s upcoming Artemis III mission, planned for the not-so-distant future of 2025—less than two years away.

The entire feature is online here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Harvey Nichols Joins the NFT Bandwagon: Ranging From HK$5,000 to a Cool Million

 

With the launch of the HN NFT Vault, Harvey Nichols becomes one of the first few major luxury department store globally to offer a curated selection of NFTs. 

Harvey Nichols launched its NFT retail concept space, HN NFT Vault, at its Pacific Place store in Hong Kong, in April earlier this year.

Offering a curated selection of NFTs from top blue-chip projects, the latest artist and brand collabs for exploration and sale, their impressive roster includes CryptoPunks, Bored Ape Yacht Club, CloneX x Takashi Murakami, Azuki and Doodles.  

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

Inside Silvano Lattanzi’s Shoemaking Studio, Where the Italian Craftsman Has Kept Every Shoe Model He’s Designed Since 1971

Put pop-culture-coloured, celebrity-imprinted trainers aside—we are bonkers about bespoke Italian shoes made of artisanal leather.

Since 1971, Italian shoemaker Silvano Lattanzi has been handcrafting exquisite leather shoes for discerning gentlemen the world over, and those who have strutted down to his studio in Milan will speak at length about his vast collection and archive. His library of leathers, patterns, design, cuts, colours, and patinas may be second to none.

Oh, did we say “library”? Correction—we meant “laboratory.”

“In a part of my laboratory, [I keep] all my collections that I have designed and made personally from 1971 to today. Each model (also the most remote one from 1971) can be still reproduced today,” Lattanzi tells Robb Report Hong Kong over the course of several email conversations. “The good God, he sent me to Earth to make ready-made shoes.”

Read the entire feature and interview here, only at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Creature of Paradise: Anna Hu’s Exquisite Jewellery

Jewellery artist Anna Hu’s Parisian haute joaillerie creations float like a butterfly.

It’s been a busy year for jewellery artist Anna Hu. She’s hopscotched around the globe to showcase her artistic assemblage of creations at newsworthy events. She joined The European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF) in Maastricht for the second time in a row, where she was the only speaker representing high-jewellery exhibitors, alongside a panel of experts in the field of luxury. She generously donated a pair of Celestial Lotus earrings at the China Gala Auction, raising money for a worthy cause. And last but certainly not least, Hu presented her latest series of stunners in Paris, where she debuted the official launch of Papillon du Blanc as one of the Maison’s classic collection.

Read the entire feature here, only at Robb Report Hong Kong.